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4 Everton Park #01-40Singapore, 080004Singapore

+65 6220 2330

A coffee bar and roastery driven by our beliefs to foster direct, transparent and sustainable relationships with our coffee producers, so as to help us to source, roast and brew some of the most amazing coffees from around the world, to the best we think they should taste and share them with you.

Journal

The return of the Africans kicks off with a bang! First up is a
beautiful, elegant cup from the Agaro woreda (district) in Jimma,
Ethiopia. Duromina, which means “to improve their lives” in the Afan
Oromo language, is a coffee cooperative that was started by 113 farmers
in 2010. Prior to the establishment of this cooperative, coffee grown
here had suffered from inferior quality due to poor management, little focus
on quality control and lack of education. This resulted in low prices
for the coffee. With technical support, business advice and access to
finance through TechnoServe’s Coffee Initiative, the members acquired
and installed a wet mill and began processing fully washed coffee for
the first time. In 2012, four major international roasters purchased 71
metric tons of green coffee through direct trade relationships with
Duromina, paying an average of US$3.68 per pound, a 65 percent premium
over the international commodity price. Duromina was able to repay its
entire investment loan in just one year, instead of the planned four
years. Without resting on their laurels, Duromina re-invested their
earnings into a second wet mill. That way they can
access cherries from more farmers in their local surroundings.

When we cupped this coffee earlier this year, we had absolutely no idea of this story behind the coffee. For coffees that we buy through an importer/exporter, our focus is based on the cup profile which fits our buying criteria. As it turned out, we were really glad that we chose a coffee that has such an interesting background and another shiny example of how specialty coffees can change the livelihood of hundreds, if not more!

Ever since its incorporation in 2010, Duromina
has
been winning awards in regional cupping competitions and the farmers are
reaping the fruits of the strong management of the cooperative.
Financially, they have been very successful and the communities are
putting in the premium payments they receive from their quality
production into good use - better infrastructure, equipment and
education. For more information of the Technoserve’s Coffee Initiative,
you can read here.

This year has been really tough for us in
securing African coffees. Ethiopian harvests came in later and and
prices have gone up across the board. Our sourcing partner, Nordic
Approach, wrote a blog post to explain the reasons driving up the prices of Ethiopian coffees. While some
of the samples we had cupped were not as impressive as last year, a few of them still stood out. We shortlisted 3 Ethiopians this year that we felt are the best of the lots, Duromina being one of them.

Processing: De-pulped using Penagos eco-pulper,
soaked in clean water overnight. Skin-dried and sorted under shade for about 6 hours after
soaking. Dried on African raised beds for 10 days. Coffees are
covered in plastic or shade nets during midday and at night.

This coffee has layers of flavours that pretty much showcases the beauty of Ethiopian coffee. Citrus, floral and sweet aromas, coupled with juiciness of berries and stonefruits. Full of honey-like sweetness and ends off with a caramelly finish. Silky texture and balanced. Truly beautiful. Available on our retail rack or webshop.